10. History Museum, Dipo Negoro 1830 Dirk Teeuwen MSc

Introduction

The War, from 1825 until 1830, was an insurrection of Javanese against the state of The Netherlands and against the Sultanate of Jokyakarta. Because of this Prince Dipo Negoro – from 1785 until 1855, a Prince from Jokyakarta - deserves our special attention.

Jokyakarta was formerly the centre of the Sultanate of Mataram and about 1600 the Sultanate of Mataram in Java was a mighty realm. In consequence of internal conflicts as well as politics of the Dutch East-India Company, VOC, Mataram lost much of its power and was in 1755 split up into two Principalities, the Sultanates of and Jokyakarta, in Central Java.

You have been on the upper floor of the Jakarta History Museum. In 1830 the large room S right across the Balcony Room was the forced accommodation of the prisoner Prince Dipo Negoro. (Not in the dungeons, this is nonsense: he was a Prince and respected by the Dutch very much!!) In this room you looked at a painting, a copy of a 19 th century painting by the Dutchman Nicolaas Pieneman owned by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. It showed to you an impression of Dipo Negoro’s surrender to the Dutch Magelang Town in Java in 1830.

Dipo Negoro was a remarkable man with strict principles. A conscientious and religious character, and talented in many ways. Please have one more moment of patience. The author is going to tell you the story of Prince Dipo Negoro.

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Pictures

1. Prince Dipo Negoro by the Dutch artist Johannes Bik 1830, Bik saw and spoke the Prince privately. From > Stapel, dr. F.W.: Geschiedenis van Nederlandsch Indië; Amsterdam 1930, page 264, wikipedia (public domain) also

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2. Prince Dipo Negoro surrenders to the Dutch General Baron Hendrik de Kock, Magalang Java 1830, painting by Nicolaas Pieneman 1809-1860, copy in the Jakarta History Museum From > Stapel, dr. F.W. (ed.), a.o.: Geschiedenis van Nederlandsch Indië, Vol. V; Amsterdam 1940, page 225

3. Detail from 2

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4. Detail from 2

5. Assault on Pleret (kraton/palace and fortress near Jokyakarta), victory was Dutch, heavy losses on both sides From From > Kepper, G.L.: Wapenfeiten van het Indisch Leger; The Hague Holland 1902, page 130

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6. A part of the outside of the immense Fortress King Willem I/William I, located near Ambarawa Java, built in 1828 during the Java War Photo Dirk Teeuwen, Holland

7. Inside Fortress King Willem I, the author was impressed; much later the Fortress was a Japanese prison meant for colonial civilians: a hell on earth. Photo Dirk Teeuwen, Holland

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8. Ujung Pandang, once Makassar, Fortress Rotterdam on : Prince Dipo Negoro stayed and died here, his stay was rather comfortable. From > Helsdingen, W.H. van: Daar werd wat groots verricht; Amsterdam 1941, page 128

9. Main Gate of Fort Rotterdam, Ujung Pandang Photo Dirk Teeuwen, Holland

6 Prince Dipo Negoro

There is so much to tell, but the author shall try to make a long story as short as possible. From 1807 until 1810 the Dutch Governor-General Daendels took a tough line with respect to the Principalities Jokyakarta and Surakarta in Central Java. And also the British Lieutenant-General Raffles did so after Daendels during the British interim government until 1816. Daendels overthrew all arrangements made between the VOC and the Sultanates. Formerly the representatives of the Dutch East-India Company, VOC, acted as advisors of the Sultans, not as the representatives of Dutch power. The Dutch East-India Company always tried to leave Javanese aristocracy an outward appearance of sovereignty. Unlike the Dutch East-India Company, Governor-General Daendels tried to make it clear to the people of the Principalities that authority rested with the Dutch in Batavia. However, Daendels ordered that the Dutch representatives should be treated as royalties and, as an example, the Dutch were no longer required to take their hats off in presence of Javanese rulers. Such humiliations caused by Dutch orders were experienced as offending novelties. Excited and bitter Javanese opposition was the result. Their wrath promised little good for the future. There were more humiliations on the way. After Daendels the British Lieutenant-General Raffles deprived the Sultans and their families of all freedom in the management of their internal affairs. In 1812 Raffles’ colonial troops stormed and plundered the palace of Sultan Hamengkubuwono II in Jokyakarta. The Sultan was exiled and all his treasures were looted. The Sultanates of Jokyakarta and Surakarta held a small territory and held only a personal bodyguard because troops were not allowed. Sultan Hamengkubuwono III, 1812-1814, designated his ninth son as his successor. Prince Dipo Negoro, the eldest brother of this crown prince, was ignored. The colonial authorities in Batavia preferred a younger brother, because this minor could be more impressionable. The old Sultan died in 1814 and his successor was still under age then. Regrettably Dipo Negoro was ignored again, he was not appointed guardian. More in general Javanese dissatisfaction grew because of colonial tax policy. Tax burdens were not unreasonable, but the local population was very much abused by Javanese tax collectors, by local officials and by their own aristocracy. Extreme poverty was widespread and a lot of villagers led a life of rovers. Nevertheless, at last, the Dutch were responsible for these abuses. The colonial tax administration was incomplete to put it mildly. In 1825 Dipo Negoro started an uprising and caused the Dutch and their Indonesian allies much trouble. By setting up a series of fortresses in Central Java the Dutch forced Dipo Negoro

7 to his knees. In 1830 he surrendered in the town of Magelang. The Prince had a letter of save-conduct in his hands, a save-conduct written by the Dutch. Nevertheless the Dutch took him prisoner treacherously, because he demanded too much. The Dutch felt - not without good reason - that they had no choice. One of Dipo Negoro’s demands was the creation of a Muslim State in Java under the authority of the Prince and supervised by the Dutch. The Dutch refused, because they feared that warfare could start all over again any moment. As a result Dipo Negoro was taken prisoner and was exiled: first to Batavia, then to the island of Sulawesi: to Manado first and ultimately to Ujung Pandang’s Fort Rotterdam. The Dutch treated him well. He died in Fort Rotterdam in 1850. In 1850 Prince Dipo Negoro passed away. Forsaken and lonely he climbed Jacob’s ladder on his way to the warm affection of Heaven and its angels, an affection he was longing for so much all his life. The Prince climbed faster and faster to meet his, adored and beloved, divine Lord. On top of the ladder a warm welcome was waiting for him, the Prince was not lonely any more. Prince Dipo Negoro was and is considered a great man: in Indonesian as well as in Dutch history. Very respectfully the Dutch constructed a memorial stone for him in Ujung Pandang. What a story! Catch your breath and remember the painting for one more moment. Prince Dipo Negoro was betrayed, not only by the Dutch, but also by his Indonesian military leader Bentot. Bentot and his men defected to the Dutch in 1829. The Prince must have felt very forsaken then. Dipo Negoro was an intellectual with a very brave character. Advice? After reading the story of Dipo Negoro? Don’t trust people, trust in God. Nevertheless, while you trust in God: don’t forget to tie your camel! Keep in mind! Near Ambarawa Town in Central Java there is a enormous Dutch fortress built during the Java War, called Fortress King Willem I. Though it is partly an Indonesian prison, the fortress is open to tourists.

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